Pages

Tuesday, 31 July 2012

we-ell... I am still working through the epic Richard Brautigan biography... but I took little breaks and also read....

Q: a novel by Evan Mandery
I bought this because I thought it looked fun and it was described as 'Time Traveller's Wife rewritten by Woody Allen' and as my love for Woody outweighs my dislike for the time traveller's wife, I went for it. The beginning was great, funny,smart and witty and filled with time travel... but then the second half lost it a bit for me and I was glad to finish it. The back of the book said 'A word to the tear-prone: don't attempt to read the ending in public'... but I wasn't even close to crying and I cry at anything....

Wonder by R.J.Palacio
This has a great cover....but I wasn't too excited about what was inside. I feel a bit mean because the idea of the book is great - it's about a boy with a facial deformity who has been homeschooled, but then at age 10 goes to school - it just didn't really ring true for me and I did find it a little bit of a struggle to finish. I just found it maybe a little cliched - boy goes to school, gets picked on and then wins the bullies over (I think the wonderful 'Stargirl' did this better), but saying that I think a child would get a lot out of this - be kind to everyone!

Adorkable by Sarra Manning
Oh gosh, this was fun! It's a book for young adults about a dorky, blogging girl and a hot, popular guy who don't have anything in common, but can't stop snogging! ha!

The Cut-Throat Celts by Terry Deary
I read this to get up to speed on the Celts before I made those shields from the previous post. Did anyone want to talk to me about the Celts? no, but a child did want to talk to me about the Romans! gahhh

Dare Me By Megan Abbott
This is dark and bitchy and about cheerleaders.... reminded me of The Secret History by Donna Tartt a bit, or maybe Mean Girls.....

Friday, 27 July 2012

I really liked it, and I think my sister really liked it too. Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and Mark Duplass are the main actors in it and it's a story of getting over the death of a family member, moving on, and y'kno a bit of romance and stuff. It's funny too! I did not like that they put butter in the mashed potatoes of a vegan tho and how the vegan pancakes apparently tasted awful. I make GREAT pancakes.

have you seen it? what did you think?
﻿

(I have a film board over on the old pinterest - so pop over there for image credits!)

Wednesday, 25 July 2012

When I went to visit ma and pa for the weekend, we went to Moma Wales in Machynlleth where they were showing work by Charles Shearer.

I hadn't heard of Shearer before, but he has illustrated quite a few book covers, so I'm sure I must have come across him at some point. I LOVED his prints! they were so beautiful, and he also showed some sketchbooks and little arrangements of stones and objects.

The prints, to me, look quite 1950s in style... but then I found out that Shearer was only born in 1956 so I was way off!

Tuesday, 24 July 2012

Sadie-cat is WILD for Dreamies. She cannot get enough of them.... recently though we bought her some other cat treats called 'Ever So Tasty' made by Pets at Home... she is pretty keen on them, but what's really exciting is that the treat are shaped like teeth!! yes!

Do you read the blog The Dainty Squid? she loves cats and she loves teeth, so this post is for Kaylah!

Sunday, 22 July 2012

This album by Donnie and Jo Emerson was originally relased in 1979 when they were aged 17 and 19. Their father who was a farmer and logger built them a recording studio on their land, as well as buying (and leasing) instruments for them! what a great dad!

The Emersons didn't have a distributor or anything for their record, so they just drove around the area trying to sell it... the record didn't become a hit. ... but ,quite recently, someone found it in a thrift store! and released it! and it's amazing!! Ariel Pink says that

"'Baby' has been a staple on just about every playlist/mixtape I've assembled in the past 3 years. It is nothing short of sublime."

'Baby' is my favourite song too! it kind of has a bit too much bass, and the vocals are a little muffly, the words are a little funny, and yet it is also really beautiful and I can't stop listening to it!

Saturday, 21 July 2012

I took part in a sewing swap that was organised by kestrel finds and makes (I initially found Kestrel by taking part in one of Lakota's swaps - oh and by the way Lakota, we watched St Elmo's Fire the other night - thank you!! it was great!)

Anyway, I was paired up with Maryanne (or Mrs C) who blogs over at The Hectic Eclectic and lives in New Zealand. I hadn't seen Mrs C's blog before, so thanks Kestrel for linking us up and it had added glamour what with our swap being international! Pop over to Mrs C's blog for crafty tips, sewing, knitting, pictures of her shop (sigh) and lots of awesome pictures of her in a top hat.

This is what I got in my swap....

I had actually lost my little pair of scissors, so was super glad when a pair showed up! the threads are just my colours and match with loads of my fabrics. I love the little buttons in the shape of needles and thread (bert will probably steal some of them, he is crazy for buttons).

The spotty ribbons are so pretty and I love the green trim!

there were also two cross stitch kits (I have been doing some cross stitch of late!)

one is a christmas card which I'll make for my mum (mum? maybe pretend you haven't read that bit)

and the other is a bookmark. The bookmark has the image of a New Zealand fern on it - part of the swap 'rules' were to send something that showed where you were from - I sent a lame Wales patch as I couldn't find anything else - sorry about that Mrs C!

It was so lovely getting my package filled with crafty goodies, thank you so much Maryanne and Kestrel!

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

today I entered the wales blog awards...and you should too if you live in wales or are welsh (am not totally sure of the rules....). I entered my own blog myself (is that odd?) and I also entered it under the 'lifestyle' category, which makes me feel way more glamorous than I am.

Otherwise... I'm working on some ideas for summer activities in work - inspired by this image....

I like it! simple to do too! anyone got any easy weaving ideas that I could try out with little ones? ﻿

I also have an annoying ear-ache type affair where my head feels spacey and swampy and the only comfortable position (for my ear) is to hold my head at a 90 degree angle.... sometimes I just pretend I'm looking at things intently at an angle. That's lifestyle blogging for you.

oh also, I got my swap from Mrs C today! thank you Mrs C! I'll do a post once I've got a good picture. I also want to tell you about a beautiful exhibition I saw by Charles Shearer, what I've been reading, some new art stuff I've been working on, and music by Donnie and Jo Emerson....

Sunday, 15 July 2012

Hello!
we've been to aberystwyth to visit my mum and dad this weekend. how nice! I didn't really check my phone or any internet sites and we had nice food went shopping and read.

I don't really have any photos though, other than my cup of coffee at a cafe in Machynlleth....

coffee out is the best thing ever....

...and me being pretty happy about my coffee...

I'm enjoying the Richard Brautigan biography, but I needed a break... I tried a couple of books before going for 'Q: A Love Story' by Evan Mandery, which so far (page 70) am really enjoying, we bought some other books in Aberystwyth too.. there's a really good bookshop up in the arts centre in Aberystwyth if you are ever there.

we are really happy to be home with Sadie-cat! oh my gosh we missed her grumpy little face!
now i'm watching the cooking channel, drinking white wine and eating popcorn and Bert has gone out pub quizzing.

Wednesday, 11 July 2012

the big news is that I have a glue gun, or rather my work self has a glue gun and I mainly glued bits of cardboard together today to make iron age shields. The glue gun part was incredibly satisfying.

otherwise....I have been working on some art projects (will show you images when they are done), working on a quilt, pub quizzing, having coffee with friends, reading that freaking great Richard Brautigan biography (am round about on page 300 of 800 odd), watching movies, and generally being addicted to pinterest.

I've had a cough for over month... bert says I can have a teen book if I get rid of my cough, so am working on that.

I've been doing lots of yoga (and my arms are covered in bruises thanks to crow pose) and have been reading about yoga too. Am reading a book about yoga which I am enjoying and yet was quite thrown when the guy started quoting from the film 'moonstruck'.

I ordered a gorgeous necklace from Roots and Feathers. I love it and it feels like it's really me.

Sadie-cat has been cute, Bert has been cute. Everything is ticking along fine.
what have you been up to?

Friday, 6 July 2012

I am a big fan of capes.
and am pretty much in love with scarves and shawls.
here are some of my recent finds which I would very much like....
I have actually bought two of them... and am in talks about a third! (ha!)

it's going well.. it means I have to think a bit more about what to eat in the week - lots of salads, tofu, quinoa and vegetables and I feel healthier for it. Do you have any yummy wheat free vegan recipes? I need more ideas!